The lyrics for Messiah were drawn directly from scripture, in a collation by Charles Jennens, an aristocrat and musician/poet who had worked with Handel on a couple of earlier oratorios. Jennens compiled a libretto with profound thematic coherence and an enhanced sensitivity to dramatic and musical structure. He sent the libretto to Handel in July 1741, and Handel began setting it to music the following month. Handel started at the beginning of the texts and worked consecutively through them, tracing and accentuating through music the powerful dramatic arc that Jennens had created.
The lyrics for each movement are listed below with each scriptural reference hyperlinked to the online Bible on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Messiah Part 1
Movement 1: Overture (symphony only)
Movement 2: Isaiah 40:1–3
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
Movement 3: Isaiah 40:4
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight, and the rough places plain.
Movement 4: Isaiah 40:5
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
Movement 5: Haggai 2:6–7
Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; yet once, a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations; and the Desire of All Nations shall come.
Movement 5: Malachi 3:1
The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
Movement 6: Malachi 3:2
But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire.
Movement 7: Malachi 3:3
And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
Movement 8: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Emmanuel. “God with us.”
Movement 9: Isaiah 40:9
O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain. O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength: lift it up, be not afraid: say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
Movement 10: Isaiah 60:1
Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
Movement 11: Isaiah 9:2
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
Movement 12: Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Movement 13: Pastoral Symphony
Movement 14a: Luke 2:8
There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
Movement 14b: Luke 2:9
And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.
Movement 15: Luke 2:10–11
And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Movement 16: Luke 2:13
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying:
Movement 17: Luke 2:14
Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men.
Movement 18: Zechariah 9:9–10
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee! He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen.
Movement 19: Isaiah 35:5–6
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.
Movement 20: Isaiah 40:11
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd, and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
Movement 20: Matthew 11:28–29
Come unto Him, all ye that labor, come unto Him ye that are heavy laden, and He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Movement 21: Matthew 11:30
His yoke is easy, and His burthen is light.
Messiah Part 2
Movement 22: John 1:29
Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.
Movement 23: Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.
Movement 23: Isaiah 50:6
He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not His face from shame and spitting.
Movement 24: Isaiah 53:4–5
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.
Movement 25: Isaiah 53:5
And with His stripes we are healed.
Movement 26: Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Movement 27: Psalm 22:7
All they that see Him, laugh Him to scorn; they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying:
Movement 28: Psalm 22:8
He trusted in God that He would deliver Him; let Him deliver Him, if He delight in Him.
Movement 29: Psalm 69:20
Thy rebuke hath broken His heart; He is full of heaviness; He looked for some to have pity on Him, but there was no man, neither found He any to comfort Him.
Movement 30: Lamentations 1:12
Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow.
Movement 31: Isaiah 53:8
He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of Thy people was He stricken.
Movement 32: Psalm 16:10
But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell, nor didst Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption.
Movement 33: Psalm 24:7–10
Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.
Movement 34: Hebrews 1:5
Unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee?
Movement 35: Hebrews 1:6
Let all the angels of God worship Him.
Movement 36: Psalm 68:18
Thou art gone up on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men; yea, even for Thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them.
Movement 37: Psalm 68:11
The Lord gave the word; great was the company of the preachers.
Movement 38: Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Movement 39: Romans 10:18; Psalm 19:4
Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Movement 40: Psalm 2:1–2
Why do the nations so furiously rage together? and why do the people imagine a vain thing?
The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His anointed.
Movement 41: Psalm 2:3
Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us.
Movement 42: Psalm 2:4
He that dwelleth in Heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision.
Movement 43: Psalm 2:9
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Movement 44: Revelation 19:6
Hallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Movement 44: Revelation 11:15
The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever.
Movement 44: Revelation 19:16
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Messiah Part 3
Movement 45: Job 19:25–26
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.
And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.
Movement 45: I Corinthians 15:20
For now is Christ risen from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep.
Movement 46: I Corinthians 15:21–22
Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Movement 47: I Corinthians 15:51–52
Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
Movement 48: I Corinthians 15:52–53
The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption; and this mortal must put on immortality.
Movement 49: I Corinthians 15:54
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Movement 50: I Corinthians 15:55–56
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
Movement 51: I Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, Who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Movement 52: Romans 8:31
If God be for us, who can be against us?
Movement 52: Romans 8:33–34
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again. Who is at the right hand of God, Who makes intercession for us.
Movement 52: Revelation 5:12–14
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. Blessing and honor, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.
Amen.